Hagan says the Secretary of Veterans Affairs finally responded to her request for action. Hagan says the Under Secretary for Benefits is coming to North Carolina in a few months to review the situation and offer recommendations on how to clear the backlog.

“More than 7,000 veterans have been waiting at least a year at our Winston-Salem office to have their disability claims ruled on, and more than 700 veterans have actually been waiting over two years to have their claims handled,” Hagan said during a teleconference this morning.

Sen. Hagan says she wants a detailed plan on how the problem will be addressed and how it will be eliminated.